Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A system comprising: at least one network device comprising a hardware processor; the system being configured to perform operations comprising: receiving, by the at least one network device from a client device, a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request; rewriting, by the at least one network device, the DHCP request to include a particular lease time; and subsequent to the rewriting operation: forwarding, by the at least one network device to a DHCP server, the DHCP request with the particular lease time.
A network device with a processor intercepts DHCP requests from a client. It modifies the DHCP request to include a specific, often short, lease time. The modified DHCP request is then forwarded to a DHCP server. This forces the DHCP server to consider only the short lease time specified by the network device. This ensures the client is initially assigned a short lease.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise: snooping DHCP traffic from the DHCP server; rewriting a response to the DHCP request included in the DHCP traffic to the client to indicate the particular lease time.
The system described above (a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server) also monitors DHCP traffic from the DHCP server. It rewrites the DHCP server's response to the client, ensuring the client receives the specific (short) lease time. This is done even if the DHCP server doesn't natively support issuing short leases, guaranteeing the client uses the desired lease duration.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise: issuing a DHCP release for an address, on a virtual local area network (VLAN), associated with the client device.
The system described above (a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server) further includes functionality to issue a DHCP release for the client's IP address on a specific VLAN. This happens later in the process, typically after the client has been authenticated and is being moved to a different VLAN.
4. A non-transitory machine readable medium having a set of instructions stored in nonvolatile form therein, which when executed on a network device, causes a set of operations to be performed, comprising: receiving, by a network device from a client device, a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request; rewriting, by the network device, the DHCP request to include a particular lease time; and subsequent to the rewriting operation: forwarding, by the network device to a DHCP server, the DHCP request with the particular lease time.
Software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client. It modifies the DHCP request to include a specific, often short, lease time. The modified DHCP request is then forwarded to a DHCP server. This forces the DHCP server to consider only the short lease time specified by the network device. This ensures the client is initially assigned a short lease.
5. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 having a set of instructions stored in nonvolatile form therein, which when executed on the network device, causes further operations to be performed, comprising: snooping DHCP traffic from the DHCP server; rewriting a response to the DHCP request included in the DHCP traffic to the client to indicate the particular lease time.
The software described above (software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server) also monitors DHCP traffic from the DHCP server. It rewrites the DHCP server's response to the client, ensuring the client receives the specific (short) lease time. This is done even if the DHCP server doesn't natively support issuing short leases, guaranteeing the client uses the desired lease duration.
6. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 having a set of instructions stored in nonvolatile form therein, which when executed on the network device, causes further operations to be performed, comprising issuing a DHCP release an address, on a virtual local area network (VLAN), associated with the client device.
The software described above (software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server) further includes functionality to issue a DHCP release for the client's IP address on a specific VLAN. This happens later in the process, typically after the client has been authenticated and is being moved to a different VLAN.
7. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 , wherein rewriting the DHCP request comprises shortening the lease time included in the DHCP request to the particular lease time.
In the software described above (software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the step of modifying the DHCP request involves *shortening* the original lease time requested by the client to the specified, shorter lease time.
8. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 , wherein prior to rewriting the DHCP request, the DHCP request does not specify any lease time.
In the software described above (software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the DHCP request initially received from the client doesn't contain any lease time information at all. The network device *adds* the lease time.
9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the DHCP request received from the client device specifies a first lease time, and wherein rewriting the DHCP request comprises modifying the first lease time to the particular lease time.
In the software described above (software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the client's original DHCP request *does* include a lease time. The network device *replaces* the client's requested lease time with the specified, shorter lease time.
10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the DHCP server grants a DHCP lease based on the particular lease time.
In the software described above (software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the DHCP server actually honors the short lease time specified by the network device when granting the DHCP lease to the client.
11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the network device is a switch.
In the software described above (software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the network device performing these actions is a network switch.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise: rewriting the DHCP request comprises shortening a lease time included in the DHCP request to the particular lease time.
In the system described above (a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the step of modifying the DHCP request involves *shortening* the original lease time requested by the client to the specified, shorter lease time.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise that, prior to rewriting the DHCP request, the DHCP request does not specify any lease time.
In the system described above (a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the DHCP request initially received from the client doesn't contain any lease time information at all. The network device *adds* the lease time.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DHCP request received from the client device specifies a first lease time, and wherein rewriting the DHCP request comprises modifying the first lease time to the particular lease time.
In the system described above (a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the client's original DHCP request *does* include a lease time. The network device *replaces* the client's requested lease time with the specified, shorter lease time.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DHCP server grants a DHCP lease based on the particular lease time.
In the system described above (a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server), the DHCP server actually honors the short lease time specified by the network device when granting the DHCP lease to the client.
16. A system comprising: at least one network device comprising a hardware processor; the system being configured to perform operations comprising: receiving, by the at least one network device, a first Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) lease time from a DHCP server in a response to a DHCP request; determining, by the at least one network device, if a client device is connected to a first VLAN; responsive to the client device being connected to the first VLAN: modifying, by the at least one network device, the first DHCP lease time to a second DHCP lease time that is different than the first DHCP lease time; subsequent to the modifying operation: forwarding, by the at least one network device, the response with the second DHCP lease time to a client device requesting a DHCP lease.
A network device with a processor receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server to a client. The device checks if the client is on a specific initial VLAN. If the client *is* on this VLAN, the network device modifies the DHCP lease time to a *different* (typically shorter) lease time. It then forwards the modified response containing the new lease time to the client.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second DHCP lease time is shorter than the first DHCP lease time.
In the system described above (a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server, checks if the client is on a specific VLAN, and modifies the DHCP lease time), the modified DHCP lease time is *shorter* than the original lease time offered by the DHCP server.
18. The system of claim 16 , the operations further comprise: switching the client device from a first virtual local area network (VLAN) to a second VLAN.
The system described above (a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server, checks if the client is on a specific VLAN, and modifies the DHCP lease time) also includes functionality to move the client from the initial VLAN to a different VLAN after authentication is complete.
19. The system of claim 18 , the operations further comprise: issuing a DHCP release for a client address, on the first VLAN, associated with the client device.
The system described above (a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server, checks if the client is on a specific VLAN, modifies the DHCP lease time, and moves the client to a different VLAN) also issues a DHCP release for the client's IP address on the original VLAN before or during the process of switching the client to the new VLAN.
20. A non-transitory machine readable medium having a set of instructions stored in nonvolatile form therein, which when executed on a network device, causes a set of operations to be performed, comprising: receiving, by a network device, a first Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) lease time from a DHCP server in a response to a DHCP request; determining, by the network device, if a client device is connected to a first VLAN; responsive to the client device being connected to the first VLAN: modifying, by the network device, the first DHCP lease time to a second DHCP lease time that is different than the first DHCP lease time; subsequent to the modifying operation: forwarding, by the network device, the response with the second DHCP lease time to a client device requesting a DHCP lease.
Software running on a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server to a client. The device checks if the client is on a specific initial VLAN. If the client *is* on this VLAN, the network device modifies the DHCP lease time to a *different* (typically shorter) lease time. It then forwards the modified response containing the new lease time to the client.
21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the second DHCP lease time is shorter than the first DHCP lease time.
In the software described above (software running on a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server, checks if the client is on a specific VLAN, and modifies the DHCP lease time), the modified DHCP lease time is *shorter* than the original lease time offered by the DHCP server.
22. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 20 , further comprising switching the client device from a first virtual local area network (VLAN) to a second VLAN.
The software described above (software running on a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server, checks if the client is on a specific VLAN, and modifies the DHCP lease time) also includes functionality to move the client from the initial VLAN to a different VLAN after authentication is complete.
23. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 22 , further comprising issuing a DHCP release for a client address, on the first VLAN, associated with the client device.
The software described above (software running on a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server, checks if the client is on a specific VLAN, modifies the DHCP lease time, and moves the client to a different VLAN) also issues a DHCP release for the client's IP address on the original VLAN before or during the process of switching the client to the new VLAN.
24. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one network device performs the operations of receiving the DHCP request, rewriting the DHCP, and forwarding the DHCP request.
The system, where a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server, where the same network device performs all these operations - receiving the original DHCP request, rewriting it, and forwarding the rewritten request.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the at least one network device is a network switch that comprises the hardware processor, a memory and one or more input/output interfaces, the network switch is separate from and communicatively coupled to the client device and the DHCP server.
The system where a single network device intercepts, modifies and forwards DHCP requests (as described above), is implemented using a network switch. This switch has its own processor, memory, and network interfaces, and it sits between the client device and the DHCP server, handling DHCP traffic between them.
26. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 4 having the set of instructions executed on a processor of the network device being a network switch that (i) comprises the processor, a memory and one or more input/output interfaces and (ii) is separate from and communicatively coupled to the DHCP server and the client device.
The software, where software running on a network device intercepts DHCP requests from a client, modifies the DHCP request to include a specific lease time, and forwards the modified DHCP request to a DHCP server, the software runs on a network switch. This switch has its own processor, memory, and network interfaces, and it sits between the client device and the DHCP server, handling DHCP traffic between them.
27. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one network device performs the operations of receiving the first DHCP lease time, determining if the client device is connected to the first VLAN, modifying the first DHCP lease time, and forwarding the response.
The system, where a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server to a client, checks if the client is on a specific initial VLAN, and modifies the DHCP lease time, where a single network device is responsible for all these operations: receiving the DHCP lease time from the server, determining the VLAN, modifying the lease time, and forwarding the response to the client.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the at least one network device is a network switch that (i) comprises the hardware processor, a memory and one or more input/output interfaces and (ii) is separate from and communicatively coupled to the client device and the DHCP server.
The system where a single network device receives, determines, modifies, and forwards DHCP information (as described above), is implemented using a network switch. This switch has its own processor, memory, and network interfaces, and it sits between the client device and the DHCP server, handling DHCP traffic between them.
29. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 20 having the set of instructions executed on a processor of the network device being a network switch that (i) comprises the processor, a memory and one or more input/output interfaces and (ii) is separate from and communicatively coupled to the DHCP server and the client device.
The software, where software running on a network device receives the initial DHCP lease time offered by the DHCP server to a client, checks if the client is on a specific initial VLAN, and modifies the DHCP lease time, the software runs on a network switch. This switch has its own processor, memory, and network interfaces, and it sits between the client device and the DHCP server, handling DHCP traffic between them.
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November 11, 2014
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